After a long day exploring a town two hours out, we decided to stop here for Lao food since our usual spot was closed. We arrived around 7 PM on a Sunday, and noticed a large party had come in just before us, so we were fine with waiting. The young waitress took my large order; she was friendly but seemed unfamiliar with the menu, likely there to assist her aunt with the orders at this small mom-and-pop shop. When I saw her serve shrimp chips to the large group, I asked if she could do the same for my kids waiting in the car. She kindly obliged.
Our shrimp chips arrived in about 20 minutes, which was acceptable since they were complimentary. However, that 20 minutes turned into 50 without any updates from the waitress. When I finally inquired about our order, she informed me it would take another 20-25 minutes because they were backed up. During that time, several other customers waiting for pick-up orders were also present.
While I didn't mind the wait initially, I ultimately felt compelled to cancel my order due to noticing customers from the large party being allowed into the kitchen to help prepare food. I understand this is common in Southeast Asian families, but it's not appropriate in a restaurant setting. When I asked to cancel, I expressed to the owner/chef that allowing non-employees in the kitchen was a concern. Initially, he tried to explain that they were just helping with their own food, but I reiterated that it was a sanitation issue. He seemed nice but clearly didn't grasp food safety standards. I felt bad for him as I was canceling. He mentioned this had happened before--though I wasn't sure if he meant the delays or allowing customers in the kitchen.
After reading other reviews, it seems being overwhelmed is a recurring problem for them. My advice would be: First, do not accept Uber or DoorDash orders until you have a reliable system in place. Second, train your staff on the menu and keep customers informed about wait times.
Third, but definitely not least important, absolutely do not allow non-employees in the kitchen.
I genuinely wanted to like this place, and based on the reviews, it sounds like they serve pretty awesome food. I hope they can learn and grow from this experience.
1st star for their efforts
2nd star for being a lao restaurant in the area read more